In 1965 I was pregnant with my second baby, due in August, but sadly I ended up with Placenta Previa again & was confined to bed for the whole of my pregnancy. At 6.5 months, on the 19th May 1965, I was rushed into Holles Street Hospital, Dublin & was told by my obstetrician Professor De Valera that I was losing my baby. On 21st May Valerie Mary was born weighing 2lb 3oz with a mop of black hair, so tiny but perfect in every way & was taken straight away to an incubator on the special care baby unit. During the next two days she was given two transfusions & Prof DeValera told me not to will her to live because she was so premature & could have brain damage. Seeing her looking so perfect it was heartbreaking to realise she wasn’t going to live. Sadly Valerie only lived 3 days & on 24th May 1965 she passed away.

You never ever get over the kids of a baby/child & I’ve thought about her every day for the last 55 years & wonder would she look like my first daughter Angela who is 56 or my son Derek who is 52.

Helen Owen nannycasey@hotmail.co.uk Yes No